Illustration of Jesus's Gospel Discourses and Grace

Seasoned Grace - A Christian Perspective on Jesus’s Gospel Discourses

Transition for OT to NT after Pentecost

Matt 7:1-2 Judge not that you be judged! - An Illustration for Gospel Application

Have you not been confused, if not downright mystified when scripture seeming speaks at odds with itself?

There are things that I can’t get my arms around  because I am I have “finite” ability to understand the “infinite”. “Now I see through darkly but then face to face 1 Cor 13:12”. Often I often overlook the obvious because I fail to ask the right questions when seeking to understand the scripture.

I can’t do anything about my finite mind and have to admit that I cannot cannot grasp things about which I have limited understanding of. The trinity is one of those things. Another is human responsibility and the Sovereignty of God

However "Hermeneutics" gives us a leg up on understanding many aspects of scripture. Who is the author speaking to?, Why is he speaking to them?, What was he saying them?. In the end, what applies to them and what should we learn from this?

Message to Jews = Live by the Law - Die by the Law

The Gospels by in large were spoken to Jews before Pentecost. Most of the messages were spoken to Jews. The main message to Jews was the Impossibility of salvation by works or following the law for salvation.

In the Gospels the application of truth to unbelievers is salvation oriented. If Jews or any unbeliever if they live by the law they will die by the law. Really, it's simply inevitable. To us (and to anyone that would place their hearts in God) the application is that my "behavior" is not the requirement for salvation. Faith is the issue now and was in early Biblical times. Abraham was saved by faith before the law was even given.

Message for Believers Today = Grace versus Works

It’s very important for us to understand that our salvation is totally based on our acceptance of God’s free gift. Our salvation will not be based on behavior but on God’s blood sacrificed for us. However the non-believers meager ability to perform (apart from from salvation by Grace) they will be indeed be judged for salvation.

In the Gospels there are many lessons for us to learn. Here we learn not to judge others. It’s super important but not for our salvation. As believers we are not judged for our salvation.

The benefit is two fold. Not Judging others is grace to us. We don’t have to judge others. Oh what a relief! It’s not my job! We should not carry a superior spirit that puts people in their place. We indeed should have a compassionate spirit that glorifies God.

Yes, I agree with my friend who says “ouch” when he reads this passage in Matthew about judging there. We are likely to often judge which is so destructive to others ourselves.

While this passage has many applications for us, the crux of Jesus discourse was to those who thought they could earn heaven by their works. The same is true today of many who feel that they can earn salvation by being good. By the way, how good is good enough? Keeps you always wondering, does it not?

Remember that in the Gospels Jesus was Speaking to the masses and those who considered the adherence to the law as paramount. His message was the inadaquecy of adherence to the law to save us. The application to the unbeliever and to the believer are not the same.

To the believer this message causes us praise God for His Grace and Mercy!

The gospel discourses was kind of a transition from the OT to Pentecost. There certainly is a message to believers but out the same as the Jews he was addressing.

We indeed "do" sin but with Paul we can say “Oh wretched man that I am, who can deliver me from this miserable state? Romans 7. Then in Romans 8 we see that nothing can separate us from God not even ourselves. What a great reason to avoid sin as a response to God's free gift to us! Amazing Grace!

Grace - God's Will for Our Life

My Friend Wayne Gono sends out a devotional that is often short but cuts to the core of the issue at hand. Today he spoke of knowing God's will for your life.

What more important quest do we have than knowing what God's will is for us?

The answer may be more basic than what we often think. God's revelation to us is made clear in His Scriptures.

Where do we often go when we are seeking God's will? Maybe it's who should I marry? Or what should my job be? Or where should I make my home? And not one of these types of questions and many others are addressed in the Bible.

Maybe Os Guiness in this book "The Call" hits home. He relates "Christians are do busy doing they forget to be". Many of our questions revolve "Doing rather than Being”. Isn’t it interesting that God's Word is full of "Being" instruction.

And isn't this Grace? We have a whole book about what we are to "be". It does tell us what is far more important to the Creator. Many words describe what be are to be. Faithful, compassionate, fair, loving, kind, and on and on.

The question is "what" should we be asking the Lord for. We can search the scriptures where the answers are readily available.

Now that's Grace isn't it?

Grace Words

Words and How They are Said Make a Difference!

One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 25:11

A Word Fitly

 Spoken is like Apples of Gold in Settings of Silver

I can never think of how beautiful these words are and how beautiful they may be depicted. Words are so powerful for good or bad.

How many times do my words not heal but hurt instead.

This verse shows me the power of Grace Words. Words that Heal, Build up, Convey Love and Strengthen Others. 

Dick Ivey who officiated at our Wedding joked that the five words to a successful marriage was "Yes dear, whatever you say". Joyce often reminds me that it matters "how" I say them. :-)

Look at the power of words to give the best to others! Isn't this enough to encourage us to build a GRACE vocabulary.

How our nation could be healed if we would approach others with words that heal?

Using Grace Words and Conveying Grace can lead can make a great difference in other lives and our own! 

Why This Country Needs Grace!

I have been fashioning a post on why this country needs Grace but Mike Huckabee beat me to the punch and Randy Davis just put his post on Face Book.

How Much better Mike said it better than me.

Randy Davis

"We don’t have a race problem as much as we have a grace problem. Our culture declares that people are expendable and disposable, treat others with coarse and harsh contempt, and then are shocked at the murder rate. We don’t need a race summit; we need a grace summit. And God is still in the grace business." -Mike Huckabee — Timeline Photos

Events of this last week really highlight the problems that this nation faces. How we need God's Grace!

Associations - Benefits and Harm

Proverbs 13:20 A man that associates with the wise grows wise. The alternative  is to associate with the unwise which brings harm.

Since this blog is geared to "Grace" my perspective is that the truly wise man knows that  he is a recipient of grace and is ready to share that grace with others. That grace is not always interpreted positively but is nevertheless the truth given in love.

The unwise man may mimic grace to get what he wants but seldom if ever in love.

Fred Smith, http://breakfastwithfred.com, wrote a great book titled "You and Your Network". When I first noticed his book I thought it was a another business networking book. Boy was I wrong! It is about the people you surround yourself with and the effect they have on you.

Surround yourself with wise people! The alternative should be evident!

Grace in the United States

On the day after the verdict in the Zimmerman Martin there is a enormous need from all parties pro and con to serve up grace.

Contrary to many on the State's side I am sure this was not a miscarriage of justice. I was simply an action based on  the law. The jury may not be right in every case but they have to prove a case based on criteria based on the law. 

In 

Response to Grace

God gave us Grace as a result of the sacrifice of His son Jesus. It is an incredible gift from God and simply at our receiving it. We could never deserve it. We didn't have to work at it. It is freely given.

So what is our problem in sharing grace with others. So sad that we are often the first to point fingers, to feel superior to others, to expect retribution and on and on. Should we not be the first to serve grace. In fact I believe we are commanded to do so. I can only work by the power of God in us to love those we fear most!

Oh, I'm not saying this is an easy task but should in not be what we are instructed to be. Doesn't it say we should be light to the world. Did we forget who we are and what we have been given. What happened to compassion? Love? Caring? Long Suffering?

If we have been given the gift of "Grace" how much more should we share our free gift of Grace to others. Isn't that just reasonable?

Grace and Peace to You from the Father!

Few things on earth bring thoughts of peace like a sail boat on lightly windy days,  I took this shot from

the Dallas Arboretum on July 4th 2013. What a peaceful setting!

Wouldn't it be nice if our minds stayed at peace like this picture? Wouldn't it be wonderful if  all sailors simply listed along like this. No strong winds, No billowing waves, No bristling rain to endure!

But life isn't always that way, is it? The storms of life seek to blow us off course, Our attention often wanders off the truth and to our inadequacies and failures. 

The Apostle Paul expresses this frustration in Romans 7. Our minds often want to stay in this miserable state. Somehow we often think this is how we should think. Kind of a false humility, don't you think?

But Paul ends Romans 7 with a powerful statement, we CAN be rescued from this woeful state.

In Romans 8 he spends the whole chapter telling us that nothing (even ourselves) can separate us from God's Love. Nothing! As my Pastor often says "How good is that!"

When I need to find peace I go to Romans 8. It lifts me up from my doldrums and sets my feet on higher ground.

Don't delay! Acknowledge Romans 7 but concentrate on  Romans 8 and let your heart meditate on it.

Now that spells "Grace" to me! How about you?

Grace and Consequences

 

Grace is Freely Available to All of us!

Consequences are Real!

Grace indeed is free, unmerited and requires only acceptance. Grace is the beginning of restoration. Grace is critical for our mental and spiritual health.

However our sins and foolishness have often hurt  those we love most. The consequences often cause deep scars for  those we sin against. Those whom we have harmed often have lost trust in us. Not only do many  think ill of us but our behavior may influence how they view God as a result of our failures.

We "do" have a job to do to repair fences. Prayer is critical amd honesty and behavior from us are critical in mending fences. Honesty and unabashed acceptance of pain we may have caused others is critical.

Consequences don't go away quickly. Some never subside. However taking the right steps is essential to those we have offended as well as our  personal growth as well.

Someone has said that where there is no grace there is little chance for restoration. Grace results in forgiveness by God and His desire for us to be set free. The first step in reconciliation is Grace. The second step is honesty with those we have hurt. Excuses for bad behavior just do not work. Acceptance of our sin is critical.

Consequences may require that God reclaims what the locusts have eaten.(Joel 3:25) We need to bathe our relationships in prayer. I glory in Grace but I have to deal wisely with those I have hurt deeply.

Grace deals with our relationship with God. Grace is essential to mending fences with others. Grace does not remove consequences. Prayer and Honesty are a beginning  for us. Action is seen as more importance than words;

My advice is do rather than speak!

Grace and God

When are you least likely to come into the presence of God? Do we resist coming into God's presence when we have sinned willfully? Why is that? If God before hand knew that we would screw up why would we desire to avoid Him. He does discipline us but as a loving father always working for our best. Anything God does is for our good. So let us "run" to God when we fail. He wants and can't wait to restore us! The sign is still up for us to come boldly the the throne of Grace. We not only have permission but are eagerly invited to come into the Holy of Holies and meet with Him. That is pure Grace, isn't it! Let us not wait. Let's pour our hearts to him Now!

Grace on the Road

Probably one of the most difficult times I have exhibiting Grace is when I'm driving. 

When someone passes me, pulls into my lane and slows down, I'm most likely not smiling nor is my inclination to be thinking positive thoughts about this person. Of course, I'm sure I'm the only person with this problem. :-)

One of my greatest desires is to get past this problem! God still loves me but I am sure not glorifying Him!

At these times people are eating, thinking, multitasking, talking, stressed at others, late to work and more. There are few greater opportunities for us to share grace more. After all we are most likely in their shoes all too often.

My Dad, when presented with the stress of driving, always said without delay "Well a miss is as good as a mile". What a great display of grace in the car!! He didn't even think about it. He just did not give a thought to anger.

I'm working on it! Giving Grace is a moment by moment experience. Grace is God's love when we fail. If you share this problem, we can pray for each other!

Is Giving Grace Strength or Weakness

There are people who think of Grace as being weak, of taking the road of ease, comfort and least resistance.

Oh, I beg to differ. Often Grace is Tough Love. It's loving those who are difficult, even enemies. Grace is sharing respect (not agreement) to those who may have different philosophies of life. 

Grace is given by God. We usually don't get our arms around grace rapidly. Grace grows as our faith grows. It doesn't grow out of our effort but as we measure how much we have been given. As we grow in grace we should see people differently. We see them as creatures of God. Those who God desires to become His regardless of their behavior. 

Many of us can see ourselves as having been one of those, apart from God, obstinate, trying to find pleasure in all the wrong places. 

Those of us who are Christians often  recoil at the acts of others. gays, those who oppose us politically, atheists and on and on. 

Would anyone call this attitude Grace? Does God not desire all to come to him and bask in His Grace. Are our brothers and sisters not Gods creations?

Please don't misunderstand me. I am "not" suggesting that we accept others life positions. I "am" suggesting that show love for them and pray for them. We should befriend them and care for them.

Yes, Grace takes understanding of what has been given to us freely and undeserved. Grace takes action, strength and obedience. Far from weakness, Grace is strength "in action".

Seasoned Grace First Post

I am a Christian. Not only saved by Grace Alone but called a Saint, not by my works but the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ for Me.

Some call me the Grace Guy. I'll gladly accept the designation because God loved me in spite of my miserable self.

Some of you know what I mean and some of you don't.

To those who don't, maybe you think that when God thinks of you he just gags.  That is exactly what I thought about me. But I have learned the his love is available to all of us regardless of where we've been and what we've done.

The Message is Amazing. The Result is forgiveness. It's Amazing Grace.

Some of you understand and are recipients of His Grace. Please comment your story and praise.

This Blog is all about knowing God and Reflecting His Grace.

If you want to keep comments confidential please note on your comment and include your email address. I'll will not post your comment and will respond to you via email.

Oh, I'll assure you there will be much more.

Come Back soon!